GlossaryEN1 min readUpdated: Jun 26, 2026

Montreal Convention

Quick Answer

Last updated: 26 June 2026Published: 27 January 2026

Source: https://www.icao.int/secretariat/legal/List%20of%20Parties/Mtl99_EN.pdf

Category

Logistics Concept

Reading time

1 min

Words

128

Mentioned in

–

Definition & Explanation

The Montreal Convention is an international treaty concluded in 1999 under the auspices of ICAO that establishes uniform liability rules for air carriers in the international carriage of passengers, baggage, and cargo. It has largely replaced the Warsaw Convention of 1929 and its successive amendments across most signatory states. Compared to the old regime, the Convention substantially raises compensation thresholds and significantly curtails the procedural defenses available to carriers. For freight forwarders and shippers, it is the primary legal reference when air cargo is lost, damaged, or arrives late. Liability limits are expressed in Special Drawing Rights (SDR) as defined by the International Monetary Fund and are subject to periodic revision; a carrier can only exceed the caps in cases of its own willful misconduct or equivalent fault.

Next steps

Tools that match this term

Find HS codeDetermine the tariff number for customsOpen Calculate transit timeEstimate duration per transport modeOpen Calculate customs valueWork out import duties and customs valueOpen Compare IncotermsClarify duties, cost and riskOpen

Related Terms

You might also be interested in these terms

Montreal loss

When cargo fails to arrive at its destination – or arrives in a condition that leaves no residual economic value – the claim is as…

Learn more

Montreal damage (under the Montreal Convention)

Montreal damage arises at the point when air cargo is found physically impaired upon or after delivery, yet not so completely dest…

Learn more